Connectors are available in the art for connecting insulated wires with other wires (insulated or uninsulated). A method of making electrical connections between insulated wires with others is to remove the insulation jacket, using pliers, with strippers or other tools, and expose the electrical conductors for direct electrical contact with another wire. Such a method is inefficient for making a large number of electrical connections because it is time-consuming and labor-intensive.
Connectors have been developed in the art for making electrical connections without using tools. These connectors are designed with internal structures that have the ability to remove the insulation jacket of an insulated wire without utilizing tools such as pliers. One such connector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,432, entitled "Insulation Displacement Connectors" and having the same inventorship as the present invention. An electrical connector is provided therein which has a terminal for an insulated wire. The insulated wire has an insulation jacket, where electrical conductors are disposed at least partly in such jacket. The electrical conductor has a portion that is connectable to a wire and a cap that is initially seatable in an up position on the insulation jacket. The electrical connector is designed to allow the insertion of the insulated wire into a space enclosed by the cap and the insulation jacket. The cap is adapted to be forcibly pushed down from the up position onto the insulation jacket so as to effect an electrical connection with the insulated wire in the space enclosed by the cap.
A particular disadvantage of connectors in the art (such as the connector disclosed herein above) is that multiple wires cannot be simultaneously accommodated, since each wire needs to be inserted into a connector one-by-one. A further disadvantage is that multiple wires of different gauge sizes cannot be accommodated in the prior connector. A general need therefore exists in the art for a connector that can accommodate multiple wires in making electrical connections. Furthermore, a connector is needed to provide electrical connections for multiple wires of different gauge sizes.